1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of mechanical systems involving the flow of fluids, gas, liquids or mixtures thereof, wherein a mechanical advantage is obtained by reducing the fluid flow within an incorporated fluid flow reducer device and increasing the fluid pressure without the addition of energy. For example, the fluid power output of a conventional gas turbine engine is in the form of a high gas flow, but with a relatively low gas pressure. The present gas flow reducing unit reduces the high flow of gas, but will increase the low pressure only when a higher pressure load of gas is required. In particular, the mechanical systems improved by this device include a turbine and compressor system and a motor and pump system. Other modifications include the additions of a fixed or variable gear reduction unit, a bleed-off or by-pass unit, and an axial flow compressor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art describes mechanical systems which do not. emphasize the mechanical advantage gained by a reduction in the fluid flow system. The prior art will be discussed in the order of their perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,802 issued on Jun. 2, 1959, to James A. Dosmann describes a vehicle turbine power system comprising a compression means, an air conduit means, a combustion means, a fluid flow energy transfer means, a fluid flow reducer means, a fluid driven mechanical transmission means, a heat exchange means, a fluid flow exhaust means, and a power induction means. The fluid flow reducer means consists of an impeller means, a rotor shaft, a turbine means, and a fluid flow casing means. The fluid flow reducer means in this disclosure begins with the mixed gases flowing through the impeller means to the turbine means. This arrangement of the impeller and turbine is reversed in the present invention with the addition of other modifications. The present invention is not concerned with a gas turbine, per se, but with other applications which handle gases, liquids and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,045 issued on Sep. 17, 1991, to Robert A. Oklejas et al. describes a power recovery turbine pump useful in a reverse osmosis process for the desalination of sea water. The turbine impeller and a pump impeller are positioned on the same shaft. The pump impeller is caused to rotate by the rotation of the turbine impeller. The pump impeller raises the pressure of the fluid passed to the pump outlet. The object of this invention is to recover power that would normally be wasted from a pressurized fluid source. The object of the present invention is to increase the mechanical efficiency of the fluid by reducing the fluid flow. The patent teaches against the reduction of fluid flow by added means such as a fixed and variable transmission. The application of this invention is limited to liquid systems, whereas the present invention can be applied to gases, liquids and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,285 issued on Apr. 28, 1981, to John W. Erickson describes a downhole cleaner assembly for cleansing lubricant of downhole turbo-machines within wells. The turbo-machines are comprised of several stages of turbines and pumps assembled on a common shaft for increasing the fluid pressure. The bleeding of lubricant from the journals and journal bearings into the fluid stream passing through the turbine pumps cannot be tolerated in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,042,533 issued on Jun. 2, 1936, to Walter Kieser describes rotary pumps or compressors driven by an elastic fluid turbine having a rotor fastened to the shaft of the compressor. Again, the mechanical apparatuses are reversed in position as to the fluid flow from that in the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.